European journal of heart failure
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyN-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide-guided management in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction: findings from the Trial of Intensified versus standard medical therapy in elderly patients with congestive heart failure (TIME-CHF).
To assess the effects of an NT-proBNP-guided medical management on 18-month outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF) and preserved LVEF ( HFpEF). ⋯ Outcomes in HFpEF were not better than in HFrEF, and opposite effects of NT-proBNP-guided management were observed in HFpEF compared with HFrEF. These preliminary findings suggest that, in contrast to HFrEF, NT-proBNP-guided therapy may not be beneficial in HFpEF. Trial registration ISRCTN43596477.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2013
Iron deficiency is a key determinant of health-related quality of life in patients with chronic heart failure regardless of anaemia status.
To evaluate the effect of iron deficiency (ID) and/or anaemia on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). ⋯ In patients with CHF, ID but not anaemia was associated with reduced HRQoL, mostly due to physical factors.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2013
Trends in long-term mechanical circulatory support for advanced heart failure in the UK.
Heart transplantation (HTx) is limited by the scarcity of suitable donor hearts. Consequently, more patients with advanced heart failure require a ventricular assist device (VAD). We report U.K. activity, trends, and outcome for long-term VAD support as a bridging therapy to HTx. ⋯ VAD activity and duration of support have increased. There has been a shift from first- and second- to third-generation devices, and an associated improvement in survival.
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Eur. J. Heart Fail. · Oct 2013
Are hospitalized or ambulatory patients with heart failure treated in accordance with European Society of Cardiology guidelines? Evidence from 12,440 patients of the ESC Heart Failure Long-Term Registry.
To evaluate how recommendations of European guidelines regarding pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for heart failure (HF) are adopted in clinical practice. ⋯ This pan-European registry shows that, while in patients with acute HF, a large heterogeneity of treatments exists, drug treatment of chronic HF can be considered largely adherent to recommendations of current guidelines, when the reasons for non-adherence are taken into account. Observations regarding the real possibility to adhere fully to current guidelines in daily clinical practice should be seriously considered when clinical practice guidelines have to be written.